Senate body passes bill seeking to transform NFA project into independent agency

ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary body on Thursday passed a bill seeking to transform the National Forensics Agency (NFA) project into a full-fledged, independent agency aimed to enhance forensic capabilities across Pakistan.

The Senate Standing Committee on Interior which met with Senator Faisal Saleem Rahman passed, “The National Forensic Agency Bill,2024,” moved by Interior Minister Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi.

A senior official of the Ministry of Interior, while briefing the committee regarding the bill, said that the NFA project was initiated in 2002 and now we want to make it a regular agency through the new legislation.

He said that through NFA, the existing conventional forensic labs and establishing a digital forensic lab that will provide services to all provinces, Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B), Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), and government/private forensics labs. The NFA will integrate digital and cyber forensics to combat crimes involving electronic devices, deep fakes, and other electronic offenses, he said.

The official said that it will also develop a centre of excellence and R&D department to make it a self-sustainable agency.

According to a document submitted before the committee, establishing an independent NFA in Pakistan is essential to address the challenges arising from the current fragmented forensic services that lead to inconsistent standards and capabilities across the country.

It says that centralizing forensic operations at the national level will enable NFA to respond effectively to the growing incidence of network and digital crimes, especially those involving inter-provincial and international incidents coupled with advanced technologies such as Deepfake and Al-driven campaigns.

The pressing need for a central robust digital forensics infrastructure integrated with conventional forensics is evident, as existing provincial capabilities lack a uniform accreditation system, that undermines the credibility of forensic evidence in legal proceedings, it says.

It added that the urgency for a specialised agency is underscored by incidents of social media exploitation, cheating public at large and disinformation, which can diminish the public trust in government institutions.

Recent examples of digital manipulation and impersonation have highlighted the inadequacies of current forensics capabilities, it says, adding that the increasing threat of digital attacks: ranging from terrorism financing, child pornography to network-enabled espionage, demands a

sophisticated and coordinated response that only a national agency like NFA can provide.

The committee also discussed, “The Pakistan Penal Code (Amendment) Act, 2023” seeking an increase in the punishment of rapists, moved by Senator Mohsin Aziz.

He said that the cases of rape have increased these days. In the present criminal justice system of Pakistan there are provisions that whoever commits rape of a minor or a person with mental and physical disability shall be punished with death or imprisonment of a life but sometimes rapist are released due to some lacuna in sub Section (3) of section 376. The main objective to increase the punishment of rapists, he said.

The committee formed a sub-committee regarding the bill which will include representatives of the legal fraternity, human rights organisations and the Ministry of Interior.

The committee also passed, “The Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2024” moved by Senator Dr Afnanullah Khan seeking that those who knowingly or intentionally engaged in the preaching of Zionism to incite and provoke hatred in society shall be punished with three years’ imprisonment or with Rs40,000 fine.

The bill says that those who display symbols of Zionism to spread hatred and cause disturbance in public peace, shall be punished with two years’ imprisonment or Rs 30,000.

The committee also passed “The Provincial Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2024”, “The Factories (Amendment) Bill, 2024”, “The Payment of Wages (Amendment) Bill, 2024” and “The Islamabad Rent Restriction (Amendment) Bill, 2024”, moved by Senator Mohsin Aziz.

Senators Shahadat Awan, Samina Mumtaz Zehri, Palwasha Mohammad Zai Khan, Dr Afnanullah Khan, and Mohsin Aziz, and senior officials from relevant government departments attended the meeting.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024